Shuttle eye block



1950 A: P. GAVRlLUK 2,520,311

SHUTTLE EYE BLOCK Filed May 25, 1949 mania?" 2? FeZZ/YZZM Patented Aug. 29, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHUTTLE EYE BLOCK Alexiy P. Gavriluk, Lawrence, Mass.

Application May 25, 1949, Serial No. 95,187

Claims.

This invention pertains to shuttles for use in weft-replenishing looms and relates more particularly to an improved self-threading shuttle having an eye block of the general type, for example, which is disclosed in the patent to Gavriluk, No. 1,987,820, dated January 15, 1935. The eye block of said patent is highly satisfactory when used with textile yarns of conventional prior materials, but difiiculty has been experienced when using it with some of the recently developed plastic yarns which are very slippery and wiry. When such a wiry plastic yarn unwinds from the bobbin during the weaving operation, it acts very much like a spring, tending to preserve the curved helical form which it had on the bobbin (instead of straightening out immediately as does a soft cotton yarn) and thus exhibits a strong tendency to escape in a forward direction from a delivery eye of the type disclosed in the aforesaid patent. One object of the present invention is to provide a shuttle of self-threading type which is satisfactory for use with plastic or other yarns which are very slippery and wiry. A further object is to provide an improved shuttle eye block of self-threading type having a wear-resistant delivery eye so devised as to permit easy threading, but which retains the yarn, even though of a wiry nature, so that the yarn cannot escape forwardly from the eye during the weaving operation. A further object is to provide a self-threading shuttle eye, including yarn tensioning means, which is easy to thread and which has provision for holding the yarn properly positioned both in the longitudinal portion of its path and also in that transverse portion of its path which terminates at the delivery eye. A further object is to provide a shuttle eye block having provision for preventing the yarn from escaping by ballooning and also from escaping by spinning forwardly out of the delivery eye. A further object is to provide a shuttle eye block of simple, durable and inexpensive construction for use in weft-replenishing means and so devised as to prevent accidental escape of the yarn from its proper course between the bobbin tip and the delivery eye. Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a weaving shuttle having the eye block of the present invention embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, to larger scale than Fig. 3 is an elevation of the opposite side of the block;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the block shown in Fig.

2, a portion of the shuttle being indicated in broken lines;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the block, with a portion of the shuttle shown in broken lines;

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the block; and

Fig. 7 is a rear elevation of the block.

Referring to the drawings, the character S indicates a weaving shuttlehaving the wound bobbin chamber and threading chamber, the wall of the latter having a window to accommodate the parts defining the delivery eye, and except for the novel shuttle eye block of the present invention, being of conventional type.

The improved shuttle eye block I may be made of any of the usual materials, for example brass or bronze, and by any usual operation, for ex ample die casting, and is shaped to fit into the threading chamber provided for its reception in the forward part of the shuttle body. As illustrated, the block has a transverse bore 2 designed to receive a bolt 2a by means of which the block is secured in place in the shuttle body.

The block, as here shown (Fig. 7) comprises a base portion 3 and spaced, substantially vertical side walls 4 and 5 which, as illustrated, are integral with the base. At its rear end (Fig. '7) a vertical separator plate 6 is disposed midway between the inner, upwardly-diverging inner surfaces I and 8 of the walls 4 and 5. While the plate 6 may be integral with the base 3, it is here shown as a separate part fixed at its lower edge in a slot in the base. The separator plate 6 is substantially T-shaped in vertical transverse section, comprising the downwardly directed wings 9 and Ill whose curved lower portions are disposed above and in spaced relation to shoulders H and I2 projecting inwardly from the surfaces 1 and 8, respectively. The upper surfaces of the wings 9 and Ill merge to provide an upwardly convex thread-guiding surface operative to direct the thread downwardly to one or the other side of the separator plate according to the direction in which the thread balloons as it leaves the tip of the bobbin. The wings 9 and [0 have forward extensions l3 and M (Fig. 4) respectively, whose tips are spaced apart, as shown at IE, to constitute yarn catchers to prevent the ballooning yarn from escaping upwardly from the longitudinal thread passage.

The wall 4 has a forward extension I6 (Fig. 3)

whose upper surface ll (Fig. 5) slopes smoothly inwardly and downwardly toward the top entrance to the longitudinal yarn passage E8, the part i! constituting a guide for directing the yarn downwardly toward the entrance to the passage.

The wall 5 has a forward extension comprising the forwardly and downwardly directed beak 28 (Fig. 5) having an edge 22 (Fig. 6) which partially underlies a beveled edge portion 22 (Fig. 6) of the guard is and which is spaced from said portion 22 to provide a laterally sloping entrance through which the yarn may move downwardly into the passage it.

A tension device T (Fig. 6) is arranged within a chamber 23 in the block, said tension device comprising opposed vertical plates between which the yarn passes as it travels forwardly through the passage l8.

The effective bottom of the forward end of the yarn passage. I8 is defined by a transverse pin 24 (Fig. 5) of wear-resistant material, for example porcelain, whose ends are fixed in openings in the block.

The forward extension of the wall 5 of the block also comprises the laterally extending portion 25 (Fig. 4) whose upper thread-guiding surface 26 (Fig. 5) slopes inwardly and downwardly toward the top entrance to the passage I8. The extension 25 also comprises a downwardly-directed leg at (Figs. 2, 3 and 5) which is located within the window in' the side wall. of the threading chamber. This leg 2?! terminates in a foot 28'(Figs. 2, 3 and 6) which seats in a recess S (Fig. 5) in the floor of the threading chamber, the lower surface of the foot being below the lower edge of the thread-receiving groove G in the outer surface of the shuttle body. The leg 2! has a transverse bore B whose axis at its outer end is midway between the upper and lower edges of the groove G. The axis of the bore in the leg 27! slopes downwardly from a horizontal plane tangent to the upper surface of the pin 24 to a horizontal plane'which is substantially midway between the upper and lower edges of the groove'G. In this transverse bore B there is tightly fitted a split liner sleeve 29 of wearresistant material, for example a steel alloy or porc la n th s l n r sleeve havin do n ar and forwardly sloping slot Bil (Fig. 2) which ex tends from one end to the other of the liner sleeve. The lower part of the leg 21 has a slot 3| (Figs. 2. and 3) aligned with the slot 31!. The lower edge 32 of the leg, which defines the em trance to the slot, is spaced above the fiber of the threading chamber in the shuttle body just enough to provide a passage for the yarn through which it may gain entrance to the lower end of the slot 3!. However, the edge 32 is in a horizontal plane slightly below that of the lower edge W of the groove G. The forward surface 33 of the leg 2! is smoothly rounded and spaced from the front wall of the window in the shuttle body to provide a thread guiding passage K (Fig. 4) through which the yarn passes downwardly, during threading, to the entrance to the slot 3!. The surface 33 intersects the forward surface of the slot 3! to form the downwardly directed acute edge32.

A vertical post 34 of wear-resistant material, for example porcelain, is fixed in the forward part of the block and defines the effective side wall of the passage [8 at the forward end of the latter. During the operation of the shuttle, the thread, onits way from the passage iii to the delivery eye, partially wraps about this post 3 The sleeve 29 defines the delivery eye, the outer end of this sleeve being spaced inwardly from the outer side surface of the shuttle body so that the thread delivered through the eye is laid in the deepest part of groove G. Usual wear pins P may be disposed at opposite sides of the delivery eye, if desired. When the yarn has once been positioned within the delivery eye, as defined by the sleeve 29, it is impossible for it to escape.

As indicated in broken lines in Fig. 5, the yarn Y is supported by the pin 24 at an elevation above the upper end of the slot 39 in the annular lining sleeve 29. When once the yarn has been drawn down below the edge 32 and has snapped up into the slot 3!, that portion of the yarn which has passed through the delivery eye cannot be moved low enough to permit it to es cape downwardly through slots 3% and Bi and beneath the edge 32, because of its contact with the material of the shuttle which defines the lower edge W of the groove G. On the other hand, in threading the shuttle, it is very easy for the yarn to find its way down into the yarn passage 8 to which it is guided by the smooth surfaces '9, Hi, H and 26, and, having once dropped below the beak 29, it is easily swung, by the movement of the shuttle, into contact with the forward surface 33 of the leg Zl' which guides it smoothly and easily down through passage K until'it snaps below the edge of the leg and then up through the aligned slots 3! and 35 into the delivery eye.

The shuttle eye block thus provided has been found wholly satisfactory for use with plastic yarns which are slippery and wiry in character, eifectively' preventing such yarns from escaping from the shuttle eye. At the same time, this block is of very simple and inexpensive construc tion, comprising but few parts, and those parts which contact the yarn being of wear-resistant material such that the life of the block is of very substantial length.

While one desirable embodiment of the invention has herein been described by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. Incombination in a weaving shuttle hav ing a body provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading chamber, the latter having floor and a window in one side wall, the latter wall of the shuttle having a longitudinally extending yarn'groove in its outer surface which intersects said window, an eye block seated in the threading chamber, said block comprising parts defining a longitudinal yarn passage and a leg disposed within said window, the leg having a for ward yarn-guiding surface spaced from the front wall of the window to provide a substantially vertical yarn-guiding passage, the leg having a transverse bore and a threading slot extending up into said bore, the forward wall of the slot intersecting said forward, yarn-guiding surface of the leg to form a downwardly-directed acute edge, said edge being spaced above the floor of the threading chamber sufficiently to permit yarn from said vertical yarn-guiding passage to pass rearwardly beneath said edge and into the threading slot.

2. In combination in a weaving shuttle having a body provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading chamber, the latter having a floor and a window in one side wall, the latter wall of the shuttle having a" longitudinally-extending yarn groove in its outer surface which intersects said window, an eye block seated in the threading chamber, said block comprising parts defining a longitudinal yarn passage and a leg which is disposed within said window, the leg having a forward yarn-guiding surface spaced from the front wall of the window to provide a downwardly directed yern-guiding passage, said leg having a transverse bore whose axis slopes downwardly and outwardly from the longitudinal yarn passage to the midplane of the yarn groove in the outer face of the shuttle body, the leg having a yarn-threading slot extending up into said transverse bore, the forward wall of said slot intersecting the forward yarn-guiding face of the leg to form a downwardly acute edge whose lowest point is spaced from the floor of the threading chamber a distance sufficient to permit rearward movement of yarn beneath said edge and into the lower end of the threading slot, the outer end of said bore being located inwardly of the grooved outer sur face of the side wall of the shuttle body so as to deliver the yarn into the groove in the outer surface of the shuttle body.

3. In combination in a weaving shuttle having a body provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading chamber, the latter having a floor and a window in one side wall, the latter wall of the shuttle having a longitudinally-extending yarn groove in its outer surface which intersects said window, an eye block seated in the threading chamber, said block comprising parts defining a longitudinal yarn passage and a leg which is disposed within the window, the leg having a forward surface which is spaced from the front wall of the window to provide a substantially vertical guide passage for yarn, said leg having a transverse bore and having a threading slot extending up into said transverse bore, the forward wall of said slot intersecting the forward surface of the leg at an acute angle to form an edge which is spaced above the floor of the threading chamber but whose lower edge is below the lower edge of the yarn groove in the outer surface of the shuttle body.

4. In combination in a weaving shuttle having a body provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading chamber, the latter having a floor and a window in one side wall, the latter wall of the shuttle having a longitudinally-extending yarn groove in its outer surface which intersects said window, an eye block seated in the threading chamber, said block comprising parts defining a longitudinal yarn passage and a leg which is disposed within the window, the leg having a forward yarnguiding surface spaced from the front wall of the window to provide a substantially vertical yarn-guiding passage, the leg having a transverse bore, a sleeve of wear-resistant material fitting tightly within said bore and defining the delivery eye, the leg and sleeve having aligned downwardly and forwardly inclined slots providing an entrance through which yarn may be threaded into the eye, the forward wall of the slot in the leg intersecting the forward yarn-guiding surface of the leg at an acute angle to form an edge which is located above the floor of the threading chamber but whose lowest point is below the lower edge of the yarn groove in the outer surface of the shuttle body.

5. In combination in a weaving shuttle having a body provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading chamber, the latter having a floor and a window in one side wall, the latter wall of the shuttle having a longitudinally-extending yarn groove in its outer surface which intersects said window, an eye block seated in the threading chamber, said block comprising parts defining a longitudinal yarn passage and a leg which is disposed within the window, the leg having a forward surface which is spaced from the front wall of the window to provide a downwardly-directed yarn-guiding passage, the leg having a transverse bore and a yarn-threading slot which extends up into said transverse bore, the forward wall of said slot intersecting the forward surface of the leg to form an acute edge, the outer end of the axis of the transverse bore in the leg being substantially midway between the upper and lower edges of the yarn groove in the outer surface of the shuttle body, the outer end of said bore being spaced inwardly from the outer surface of the side wall of the shuttle body.

6. In combination in a weaving shuttle having a body provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading chamber, the latter having a floor and a window in one side wall, the latter wall of the shuttle having a longitudinally-extending yarn groove in its outer surface which intersects said window, an eye block seated in the threading chamber, said block comprising parts defining a longitudinal yarn passage and a leg disposed within the window, the leg having a forward surface which is spaced from the front wall of the window to provide a yarn-guiding passage, the leg having a transverse bore whose axis, at its outer end, is substantially midway between the upper and lower edges of the yarn groove in the side wall of the shuttle, the leg rearwardly of said bore having a foot reaching down below the yarn groove and entering a recess in the floor of the threading chamber, the leg having a slot forwardly of said foot which leads up into th transverse bore, the forward wall of said slot intersecting the forward surface of the leg to form an acute downwardly-directed edge which is spaced above the floor of the threading chamber sufliciently to permit a yarn to pass beneath said edge and into the slot.

7. In combination in a weaving shuttl having a body provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading chamber, the latter having a floor and a window in one side wall, the latter wall of the shuttle having a longitudinally-extending yarn groov in its outer surface which intersects said window, an eye block seated in the threading chamber, said block comprising parts defining a longitudinal yarn passage a horizontal wear-resistant pin defining the effective floor of the longitudinal yarn passage, at its forward end, a vertical Wear-resistant pin forming the effective side wall of said passage at its forward end and a leg disposed in the window in the shuttl body, the leg having a transverse bore extending from its outer side surface substantially to said vertical wear-resistant pin, the axis of said bore sloping downwardly and outwardly, the leg having a threading slot extending upwardly into the transverse bore, the forward wall of said slot intersecting the forward surface of the leg to provide a downwardly-directed acute edge, said edge being spaced from the floor of the threading chamber a distance sufficient to permit yarn to pass beneath said edge and the forward surface of the leg being spaced from the forward wall of the window to provide a downwardly-directed thread-guiding passage which terminates at said edge.

8. In combination in a weaving shuttle havin abody provided with a bobbin chamber and a threading chamber, the latter having a floor and a window inone side wall, the latter wall of the shuttle having a longitudinally-extending yarn groove in its outer surface which intersects said window, an eye block seated in the threading chamber, said block. comprising paltsdefining a longitudinal yarn passage,- a horizontal wear-resistan-t pin defining the effective floor of the longitudinal yarn passage at its forward end, a verticalwear-resis-tant pin forming the eiiective side wall of said passage at its forward end, a legdisposed in the window in the shuttle body, the leghaving a transverse bore extending from it outer side suriace substantially to said vertical, wear-resistant pin, the axis of said bore sloping downwardly and outwardly, the leg having a threading. slot extending. upwardl into the transverse bore, the forward wall of said slot intersecting the forward surface of the leg to provide a downwardly-directed acute edge, said edge being spaced from the floor of the threading chamber a distance suffioient to permit yarn to pass beneath said edge, the forward surface of the leg being spaced from the forward wall of the window to provide a downwardly-directed thread-guiding passage which terminates at said edge, and means operative to prevent yarn, ex

tending from said horizontal pin outwardly 5 through said transverse bore, from moving downwardly far enough to pass beneath said edge.

9. A self-threading eye block for use in a weaving shuttle having a longitudinally extending thread groove in. its side wall and a threading chamber in its. end portion designed to receive the block, said block comprising spaced side walls defining a longitudinal thread passage, one of said walls having a lateral extension provided with a downwardly-directed leg whose lower end is designed to seat in a recess in the floor of said chamber, the leg having a transverse bore whose axis is in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal thread passage, the outer end of said axi being in a plane substantially midway between the upper and lower edges of the yarn groove in the outer surface of the shuttle, when the block is assembled with the shuttle, an annular wear-resistant liner sleeve for said transverse bore, the liner sleeve and leg having 5 aligned downwardly and forwardly sloping slots providing a threading entrance to the delivery eye defined by the wear-resistant liner sleeve, the forward wall of the slot intersecting the forward outer surface of the leg to form a downwardlyacute edge which is spaced from the floor of the threading chamber, when the block is assembled with th shuttle, a distance sufficient to permit passage of yarn beneath said edge and into the lower end of. the slot in the leg.

10.. A self-threading eye block for use in a weaving shuttle having a longitudinally extending thread groove in its side wall and a threading chamber in its end portion designed to receive the block, said block comprising spaced side walls defining a longitudinal thread passage, one of. said walls having a lateral extension provided witha downwardly-directed leg whose lower end is designed to seat in a recess in the floor of said chamber, the leg having a transverse bore whose axis is in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal thread passage, the outer end of said axis being in a plane substantially midway between the upper and lower edges of the yarn roove in the outer surface of. the shuttle, when the block is assembled with the shuttle, an annular wear-resistant liner sleeve of said transverse bore, the liner sleeve and leg having aligned downwardly and forwardly sloping slots providing a threading entrance to the delivery eye defined by the swear-resistant liner sleeve, the for-- Ward wall of the slot intersecting the forward outer surface of the leg to form a downwardlyacute edge whose lowest point is in a plane below the plane of the lower edge of the groove in the wall of the shuttle body when the block is assembled with the shuttle body, the effective bottom of the longitudinal yarn passage in the block being abov the highest point in the slot in the annular liner sleeve.

ALEXIY P. GAVRILUK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 978,503 Stearns Dec. 13, 1910 1,091,868 Stimpson Mar. 31, 1914 1,583,387 Bonney May 4, 1926 1,764,710 Baldwin June 1'7, 1930 1,816,167 Baldwin July 28, 1931 

